Tasting Bai Ye Dan Cong

Today I’m taking you to Guangdong Province in China, just a two-hour drive from the city of Chaozhou. Here, in the Phoenix Mountains (Feng Huang Shan), farmers make an unusual Oolong they call Dan Cong.

The name Dan Cong refers to a distant time, far removed from the terraced fields and strict picking regimes, when tea plants grew unconstrained into trees.

The only tree with white leaves

Well before cultivars were bred, tea was grown from seed, and from generation to generation each tea plant developed its own aromas, affirming its unique character. In this region of Guangdong it is customary to name teas after their specific features, thus our Bai Ye Dan Cong means “the only tree with white leaves”. As you cross these mountains you’ll also come across the only tree that smells of orchids (Mi Lan Xiang Dan Cong), of tuberose (Ye Lai Xiang Dan Cong), of almonds (Xingren Xiang Dan Cong), and so on.

Black Dragon

In my opinion, very few teas other than Bai Ye Dan Cong so accurately reflect the imagery of the word “Oolong” which can be translated as “black dragon”. The leaves are dark with amber and copper streaks here and there as well as some lingering green glints. These long, twisted leaves are intensely fired and the best way to bring out their qualities is by using the Gong Fu Cha method. Gather a gaiwan, a fairness cup and a glass [1] , and let’s taste this tea together and appreciate its lively, sharp flavour with powerful, heady aromas.

Romain Hoarau joined Palais des Thés in 2018 and became a tea sommelier in 2019. Romain is particularly drawn to Chinese and Japanese teas, and loves advising customers in the Toulouse store.

By Romain Hoarau

Tradition and modernity

As the summer approaches, I’d like to introduce you to an alternative to the hot brew version of this premium tea. We’ll enjoy it at room temperature or iced, according to preference. For this, I use a 10 cl gaiwan that I fill with a generous quantity of tea leaves (about 10g) [2] . With water heated to 95°C, I steep it for just 15 seconds to bring out the unique character of this tea, while controlling the astringency and bitterness. Once the infusion is ready, I pour it into the fairness cup, which I previously filled with ice [3].

The infusion will cool down in just a few seconds. By touching the outside of the fairness process. Over the course of the infusions you can be in no doubt that you’re tasting a quality Oolong, a Black Dragon distinguished by its flavours of fire, fruit and flowers. • cup, I can check the temperature for this first infusion. You’re free to drink it as chilled as you like, but to get the most from the tea, I recommend drinking it at room temperature, so you don’t dilute the infusion too much. When the tea has reached the desired temperature I strain it into a tasting glass, taking care not to add the ice cubes [4] . The still-hot gaiwan gives off scents of flowers and exotic fruit, sustained by a sweet burnt note emphasised by aromas of toast and burning wood. I recognise the essence of Phoenix teas. The tasting prolongs this olfactory experience, it is mellow and smooth with notes of exotic wood and geranium. The burnt notes remain present over a creamy, fresh texture.

I suggest you infuse these beautiful leaves as many times as possible using the same

Bai Ye Dan Cong culTiVar Bai Ye origin Guangdong (China) harVeSTed 2020

PreParaTion adVice

→ GonG Fu Cha method

Successive infusions of 15 seconds, up to six times

Food Pairing

A young comté

→ Ref. 2783 – € 48 per 100g